King Crimson"Park West, Chicago, Illinois, August 7, 2008 "
Discipline Global Mobile Records
Released Aug. 20, 2008 as part of the King Crimson Collector's Club
I didn't even know King Crimson was still together - the last I heard from them was about 5 years ago, and I was decidedly unimpressed.
But apparently Robert Fripp has reconvened this mighty prog band with longtime bandmates Adrian Belew and Tony Levin (returning after a decadelong absence) and the dual drum attack of Pat Mastelotto and Gavin Harrison (splitting his time with Porcupine Tree). The group was supposed to celebrate its 40th anniversary this year, but apparently busy schedules prevented a tour from happening.
So until this new/old King Crimson hits the road, we're left with this live set from last year, one of a handful of warm-up gigs the band played last August after reforming.
The set draws mostly on Crimson's '80s and '90s work - like "Indiscipline" and "Dinosaur", material that featured Levin, with a few choice cuts from the '70s ("Red", "Larks Tongues in Aspic Pt. 2") and '00s ("Level Five," "The Construkction of Light") thrown in.
The band still feels a bit loose, especially on "Red" - this was only the fourth gig of the brief tour. But Levin's return is immediately felt, from his funky bass playing on "Sleepless" to his occasional backup vocals.
The addition of Gavin Harrison also boosts the sound. Mastelotto is used to working with two drummers, he got his start in Crimson as part of the "double trio" of the '90s working with fellow drummer Bill Bruford, and Harrison's nimble playing balances his heavier hand. And the pair craft some interesting drum duets throughout the set.
But the most refreshing aspect of this show is that Crimson has retreated from the ultra-heavy abstract nu-metal of their most recent releases. This band still makes a mighty racket, but Levin and Harrison keep the sound from turning into complete sludge.
Now if they can find some time to release a new album and hit the road again...
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